Rosanne Thompson, Medicare Insurance Broker

Answer: If an individual is still working at the age of 67 it is advisable to enroll in Part B unless you have a creditable plan through the employer. If you do not register for Part B you have have a penalty for not enrolling when you first become eligible.

Answer: If a specialist leave the network in the middle of the year, you will have an option of choosing a new provider or you may have to pay the out of network amount,

Answer: When aging into Medicare, it is advisable to make sure you are entitled to Medicare Part A and enrolled in Part B that way if there is a Medicare Advantage plan that interest you, you can get more information of what all they provide. Keep in mind, all Medicare Advantage plans must comply with Original Medicare.

Answer: When choosing a plan that works with your travel or activities, an individual has to make that decision. Traveling in the United States, all plans cover in case of emergency. When choosing a plan I would advise to look at plans that will work with your travel.

Answer: The worst Medicare-related decision someone can make is taking a policy that either does not have all their doctors in network or the prescription is not in the formulary. It is always best to make sure that doctors accept the insurance plan and medication is covered.

Answer: When moving to a new state it always best to move your policy to the new state. The state you are moving to may not have the plan or it may be available only in certain counties.

Answer: One way I always advise my clients is to ask for the NPN (National Producer Number). If they ask you what that is then most likely they are not legitimate. Also do not be afraid to ask what their insurance license number for the state is. This is something that all agents must provide if asked for. You can always go to your state insurance department and search for it. Medicare agents are not allowed to contact you, unless permission is given by you in writing or there is a recorded call giving permission to make contact and you have signed a Scope of Appointment. Agents are only allowed to talk to you about what you agreed to allow.

Answer: The advice I would recommend to a senior who is feeling overwhelmed by all the Medicare options available would be: 1 Write down specific questions you may have.2 I would reach out to an agent or assister to help clarify the information and 3 Review the Medicare book that is available.

Answer: When looking for a Medical Advantage plan. One thing to check before choosing a plan is to make sure all doctors and medications are covered by the plan. This is part of the quoting process.

Answer: Center for Medicaid and Medicare requires all agents to have a signed Scope of Appointment (SOA) and agents are required to schedule the appoint 48 hours from time of the SOA is signed to give the consumer time to think about the coverage and agents can only discuss what is checked on the SOA. Call centers are exempt from waiting the 48 hours due to the prospective client calling in to speak about cover. However, they still need to do the SOA.

Answer: Individuals that qualify for Medicare under the age of 65 are individuals that have been on disability for at least 24 months.

Answer: I advise all my clients to let the person know that you have an agent. You can also ask for the National Producer Number and if they ask what it is hang up cause it is likely to be a scam.

Answer: Medicare Advantage does offer plans with a premium that may be 0. However, there may be deductibles or copay fees.

Answer: I like being able to help my clients get the coverage they need and be able to keep their providers while it is budget friendly.